Dear Partners in Tourism,
Best Wishes for 2025!
We wish all our partners a successful, prosperous and enriching year ahead.
It has indeed been a year since my last newsletter. Last year was both a challenging and fulfilling year. Many of our source markets only truly recovered in 2024 after the pandemic.
Booking trends were still extremely erratic with some markets becoming more last minute while some went the opposite. We’ve invested in rebuilding the team after COVID and continue to do so with investments not only in additional people but also continued training to retain our reputation of expertise and superior product knowledge.
I’m sure most of our partners will agree with my comments as they’ve experienced the same in terms of post-COVID recovery, booking trends and business in general.
In keeping with our product knowledge ethos, I took the whole team to Victoria Falls during December. It was a fun-filled year-end teambuilding celebration but at the same time a hectic few days of activities and site inspections. I’m sharing feedback on some of the activities we experienced.
SITE INSPECTION VISIT TO VICTORIA FALLS
Activities, Entertainment and Dinner options
Animal interaction is a tricky subject. Elephant interaction activities however also need to be seen in context – many of these projects around Victoria Falls have a legacy component.
Elephants live a long life (about the same as humans) and re-introduction to a totally wild habitat is extremely unlikely for elephants that were born in captivity or spend a substantial time in human interaction (e.g. orphaned elephants or those previously in zoo’s). There are a few such projects in Vic Falls operated on ethical basis which allows the elephants to roam as free as possible but consider the inability to re-integrate into the wild and the need for human supervision and assistance. The project we visited allows for close interaction with the elephants while they’re on their walks with their minders. ‘Through the eyes of an elephant’ is not only informative and inspiring but also contributes to the continued life journey of these elephants in the ‘wildest’ and freest possible environment. Reach out to the team if you need more information on this.
Victoria Falls is truly an adventure/adrenaline junkie heaven – white water rafting, bungee jumping, gorge swings, etc. This can however be a bit ‘hardcore’ for many. We participated in an activity that is not quite as extreme, but also entertaining and informative. The historical bridge tour/walk allows for a different view of the bridge (border between Zimbabwe and Zambia) but also the falls and canyon itself. The introduction and historical information portion is an unexpected theatrical surprise! It might still not be the best option for people with an acute fear of heights or who suffer from Vertigo – as it still involves crossing in the ‘undercarriage’ of the bridge, even though you’re harnessed and attached to a safety cable. Please note the activity is on a shared basis with other guests booked – so not a private tour.
Another activity linked to the bridge is the steam train dinner runs. Effectively a Rovos Rail/Orient Express inspired dinner experience on the historical restored steam trains and carriages with a sunset stop on the bridge.
The trains don’t operate daily – twice weekly from the Zimbabwean side and twice weekly from the Zambian side.
The dinner is a 5-course affair of excellent quality and includes a selection of house wines, local beers and house drinks. A dress code (smart casual) is applicable.
If you’re looking for a less formal form of evening entertainment, Victoria Falls also has much to offer now too. The perennial favorite of ‘The Boma’ remains a top choice. Informal and entertaining with a focus on traditional African dishes while getting everyone involved in the drumming session. Naturally it is a mass-market product, but it is still professional, organized and hits the mark with everything it promises to be. And you get a certificate if you eat a mopani worm!
Several more sophisticated dining experiences are now also available at restaurants like The Eatery, Palm River Hotel, Baines and also Cassia restaurant at Ilala. More relaxed options are ‘Lookout Café’ and ‘Three Monkeys’.
For an ‘after-dinner’ show we would suggest the new ‘Simunye Dance and Theatre Production’. The production is sleek with modern dance inspired by the traditional African dances telling a mystical story linked to an orphaned elephant. The show starts at 8pm and lasts about an hour – so works well with an early dinner and if you don’t want a too late night!
A sundowner cruise on the Zambezi River above the falls is usually part of the fabric of any visit. The options and quality of these boats have greatly expanded in the last few years. A variety of options for different styles (and budgets) are now available. The team had a look at 8 different boats – just on the Zimbabwean side. The option of a cruise with dinner is now also available (2 options – one boat with a 4-course and one with a 6-course meal).
Accommodation Options
We had excellent stays at Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, Elephant Hills and Palm River Hotel. The team thus have firsthand experience of the facilities and service levels at these properties. We however did site inspections at an extensive list of hotels on both the Zimbabwean and Zambian side of the falls.
Victoria Falls:
- A’Zambezi River Lodge
- Insika Lodge
- Victoria Falls Safari Club
- Victoria Falls Hotel
- Ilala Lodge
- The Rainbow Victoria Falls
- Batonka Guest Lodge
- Pioneers
- Shongwe Lookout
- Shongwe Oasis
- Mbano Manor
Livingstone:
- Avani Victoria Falls
- Anantara The Royal Livingstone
- David Livingstone
- Radisson Blu Mosi-Oa-Tunya
As we enter 2025, we’d like to highlight a few additional operational aspects.
South Africa has taken over the presidency of the G20 for 2025. Several events will take place during the year that could affect availability in certain places. This culminates in the annual summit that will take place in Johannesburg during the latter half of November. Many Johannesburg hotels have already been blocked for specific dates.
Due to the summit in November a few large annual conferences (e.g. Africa Oil week and Africa Energy) have moved dates (mostly to late September). Traditionally Cape Town has several large events in February (Mining Indaba, Opening of Parliament, etc.). This is no different this year, but the situation will be exasperated by the closure of the Table Bay Hotel for an extensive refurbishment that will last until at least November.
The removal of 300+ rooms from the 5-star Cape Town room inventory for most of the year naturally has a knock-on effect. Additionally, a number of premium 5-star properties on the V&A Waterfront precinct finished extensive refurbishments and upgrades during 2024 (these include Cape Grace, One & Only and also the Radisson Collection). This has resulted in a spike in 5-star rates but also brings the added challenge of availability for large groups in the 5-star segment. There are many possibilities to consider as alternatives but will likely require flexibility with regards to budget, first-choice preferences and location.
We are known for our personalized approach and visiting our partners on sales trips is part of that. Pieter will already be heading to South-East Asia at the end of the month and will meet partners in Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. South African Tourism has moved the annual India roadshow to March (18-20). We look forward to catching up with our partners in India. This change would probably necessitate that I move my usual visit to our partners in Europe a bit later.
To alleviate the challenges around visas from the Indian market and also increase the numbers, a Trusted Tour Operator Scheme (TTOS) has been introduced in that market. TTOS operators will mainly be based in India but a limited number of South African DMCs with a significant market share in India will also be part of the scheme. TTOS qualified operators will ensure the visa application process is streamlined and facilitate the quick and efficient granting of visas for qualified applicants.
We’re honored to confirm that Royal African Discoveries has been selected for inclusion as part of the TTOS scheme. The South African government department responsible for the scheme is currently busy with the implementation schedule and deadlines. The intention is to have the scheme operational before the peak travel season from India starts. We will keep you updated.
We look forward to an exciting year growing the business with our partners. As always, we continue to strive to bring your clients fulfilling, innovative and exciting holidays and trips while creating memories and experiences they will cherish and remember for many years.
Best wishes for 2025!
Yours in Tourism,
Johan Groenewald